Salesandcoffeedude

Business Development Representative

How do you use your off work hours?

As a 22year old SaaS SDR I'm trying to use every hour outside work to learn and get good at my job as well as networking and learning from seniors through LinkedIn and conferences.

Should I focus more on content consumption, like I'm doing now. Or focus more on refining what I'm doing by reflecting and tweaking everything in my cadences and call technique.

I've heard top reps consume the least content but is that because they did consume a lot when they started out? Or is there too much noise and should I just trial and error without listening to anything out there?

💆‍♂ Mindset

🤘 Personal Growth

🎯 Career Development

43 comments

Sort by:

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Grilling and drinking beer.

Taking time off is imperative for your body and mental health.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Sleeping too. Don't forget to sleep.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Maybe a bit of exercise. Mind and Body.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

And beer.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Always beer

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I like to relax when I'm not working 😎

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

can you relax and still make 6 figures as an SDR?

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Yes

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Did you do this early in your career too? Or have you built upto the point where you know what you're doing and can relax

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Just curious, cos I hear a lot of people say they work all day everyday

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I wasted a few years at series A's.

Joined first well run company about 10 years ago as inside sales (essentially SDR). 50/60 OTE. Was able to make $100k by working smarter, not harder. I still went out with friends, learned to cook, went hiking, saw movies, dates, etc.

If you spend every hour working or thinking about work you'll end up burning yourself out.

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Thanks, yeah I'm still working on that balance

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

That's the hustle culture BS.

Not sustainable in the slightest.

cashmachine

Politicker

AE (Account Executive)

do you mind elaborating on “working smarter, not harder.”?

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

being on bravado isn't a bad option for starters

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Please don’t forget to take time for yourself. It’s a balance. Mix “homework” with time for yourself, unplugging, and doing things for the enjoyment of them.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

this is a great question and a pretty common one of ppl wanting to be top performers. so good for you for having the right mind set.

when it come to consuming content You need to be focused.
find one or 2 ppl max that you like and connect with their views on prospecting and follow thier content only.

but the real key is to take what you are leaning and put it into practice.

but again you need to be focused.

take a few weeks and JUST focus on cold calling.
(you need to keep emailing of course but you are hyper aware of how your calls are performing.)

do this for a few weeks or until you feel like you have found something that works well.

then do the same with emails.

does that make sense?

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

That's really helpful! Thanks. I definitely see the value in that and need to focus more cos I am kind of impatient with wanting results ASAP... gotta be more patient with success ig

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

YEP! right there with you.

I always want to tweak things constantly. but you for sure have to give it SOME time to know what to change haah

Honch

Good Citizen

Senior Account Executive

I’m a successful Sr AE and it took me a while to realize that I learn very little by trying to spend all of my free time reading books and consuming “self help” type content.

I would say I am one of those top reps who consumes the least and that the efforts I put in to “learning” through content was primarily a poor use of my time. Adapting to best practices I have learned through first hand experience has played the largest role for me.

But I have worked with many successful people that can track back most of their success to books and podcasts as well. I think it comes down to finding what works best for you personally

isellonfeatures

Good Citizen

Mid-Market Account Executive

Came here to say this. The more content I consumed and books I read, the more conflicting information I took in and it actually made me overthink things a ton. Now I spend most of my time outside of work unplugged, I learn from my peers at work and my first hand experiences, and I consume content selectively. My favorite sales podcast is 30MPC, those guys fuck.

And I don’t suck at sales, I hit prez club 3 years in a row, two of which were in a pandemic

666ABC

Good Citizen

RM (Relationship Manager) Director of Sales

Let me tell you this, and it may not be a popular opinion: Being successful at Sales is being successful at life. It’s more about living it than doing it, if that makes any sense. Align your work day with your work goals, focus on doing your job with what feels like the least amount of effort to make your goals. Then live your life to the fullest outside of work. Take those trips to places you want to see, get that car, that bike or whatever of your dreams, jump out of airplanes, do the interesting stuff of your dreams. People love people that are living, people want to do business with the guy who just got back from Thailand, they buy from the guy who is doing what they wish they were doing. Living a full life gives you all kinds of relatability, and likability. You don’t need to rub it in peoples faces either, the tan, the smile on your face, that tells them to ask, to want to know you. Be likable, interesting, and full of interesting stories, and you will kick ass. It’s not about hyper focus and spending unnecessary time being available. It’s OK to say, “Can’t do Tuesday, I’m taking it off to go ride dirt bikes in the desert”. People turn green with envy and will be perfectly ok with rescheduling for the 40+ hours you are available to work usually. The key is to balance your success at work with living a successful and interesting life.

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

I love this - this is my goal. thank you 666ABC

GDO

Politicker

BDM

A lot of stuff is just noise. Find the creators that really add value for you

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Absolutely. I'm trying to stick to just 3 to 5 of the best.
Kyle Coleman
Josh Braun
Jason Bay
Belal batrawy
Anthony Natoli

ColdCallShorts

Politicker

Sr. Account Executive

I watch Ice Road Truckers with Jesse Pinkman after work. Great way to relax

Qman

Opinionated

Business Development Rep

I focus more one content consumption as well right btw

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Yeah. I have like 3 podcasts I listen to all the time but also am selective about episodes from other ones

johnnytestpipe

Contributor

Sales Consultant

Wow now I feel bad about what I do. Literally just sleep haha. 10-12 hour days at my current sales job so this has been eye opening.

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Damn bro. I'm trying to break enterprise by 25 tho

johnnytestpipe

Contributor

Sales Consultant

I’m trying to just generally do better than I am at the moment honestly. Work life balance is shit and EVERYONE I see talking about sales is saying to switch to SaaS as an SDR

SunTzu

Opinionated

Legendary Historical Figure

Content is pointless you’re way overthinking this

Qman

Opinionated

Business Development Rep

I like this question. I’m in a very similar boat

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

Business Development Representative

Hope all of these comments helped!

Qman

Opinionated

Business Development Rep

Certainly did! Cheers

Marketingtools4days

Opinionated

Strategic Account Executive

When I was first starting out I was the same way - basically no-lifed it for the first year or two. For me, it paid off, but I can also see in hindsight that I wasted a lot of time.

Two things I’d say on this:

1) Mamba mentality is definitely legit. Consistently putting in more work over time leads to incremental gains that will always outlast talent. Look for the audio of Kobe talking about how he practiced.

2) you absolutely WILL burn yourself out if you overdo it. Make time and space to develop your personal life just like you develop your business. Apply the mamba mentality to your social circles, family life, hobbies, interests, etc. this is the fuel that will keep you going when the going gets tough (and what makes life worth living).

You probably don’t wanna be one of those salty sea dogs that’s absolutely loaded but has no one to spend his money with. It’s all about balance.

Some may disagree, but I firmly believe you can have your cake and eat it too. Hustle culture is for the birds. Find your balance, build the plan, and execute.

Dovah

Opinionated

BDR (Business Development Rep)

Listen to podcasts but also like everyone else has said here, take time off to recharge

playerone

Politicker

Regional Account Executive

I like to do nothing related to work in any way. If im networking, that’s working. If I tell people what I do—that’s working. If im learning stuff to make me better at my job—that’s working. I schedule these activities so I can mentally prepare. When im outside of these things I am doing things with my son, whether it’s playing video games, fishing, watching his soccer practice and games.

tightlines

Politicker

Account Executive

Bending some rods

Updmamt

Opinionated

Business Development

Family and soccer

youngdude

SDR/BDR Seeker

All from assumption and no outside voices: 1. I believe it's because they're selling and having minimal distractions. 2. I would try just acting (trial and error) and make goals while leveling up your game.

TechSalesQueen

Executive

Sr. Enterprise Account Executive

Step 1: Do not ever delay understanding the need for and establishing healthy work and personal life boundaries.
Step 2: You don't work outside work hours
Step 3: You do something you love to do for YOU
Step 4: You come to work feeling more inspired and energized
Step 5: Crush Quota During Hired Business Hours

TechSalesQueen

Executive

Sr. Enterprise Account Executive

To answer your question I think you meant to ask which is how to do I learn and ramp DURING work hours or occasionally in my spare time? I challenge myself to read 1 business/sales related book every 6 months. I read news outlets 1-2x a week. I use Bravado. I network and attend webinars during lunch hours. Find a mentor. Ask to shadow a top performer for an afternoon, or a day.

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

Press Careers

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.

Salesandcoffeedude

How do you use your off work hours?

43 comments

Related posts

how many hours do you actually work in a day?

What are your work hours?

How do you get yourself to “turn off” work thoughts during weekends and after hours?